Needle-threading attachment for sewing-machines.



. P. H. WERNER. v NEEDLE THREADING ATTACHMENT FOR SEWTNG MACHINES. APPLICATION FILED FEB. 7,1917.

1,246,199. Patented N0v.13,1917.

WITNESSES: INVENTOR PAUL H. WERNER, OF NEWARK, NEW JERSEY.

NEEDLE-THBEADING ATTACHMENT FOR SEWING-MACHINES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 1 3, 11917.

Application filed February 7, 1917. Serial No. 147,036.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, PAUL WERNER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Newark, in the county of Essex and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Ne'edl'e-lhreading Attachments for Sewing-Machines; and I do hereby declare the following to *be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to characters of reference marked thereon, "which form a part of this specification.

The present invention has reference, generally, to improvements in needle-threading attachments for sewing machines; and, the invention relates, more particularly, to a novel, simple and easily manipulated attachment for connection with the needle-bar of a sewing machine, and so related thereto that a thread-guide connected therewith may be oueratively associated with the eye of the needle carried by said needle-bar to enable the thread to be quickly and easily passed through the needle-eye.

The invention has for its principal object to provide a needle-thread'ii-ig attachment, as above mentioned; and a further object of the invention is to provide a novel means for attaching the needle-threading device upon the needle-bar of the machine in such a manner, that when the same is not in use, it may be readily moved to an inoperative position of the sewing machine mechanism;

and a still further object of the present invention is to provide said needle-threading device with means for automatically removing the same fromoperative relation to the needle, and out of the way, should the sowing-machine be inadvertently started up.

Other objects of the present invention not at this time more particularly enumerated, will be clearly understood from the fol-- lowing detailed description of the same.

\V'ith the various objects of my presentinvention in view, the same consists, primarily, in the novel needle-threading attach'rnent for sewing machines hereinafter 'set forth; and the invention consists, fun

thermore, in the novel arrangements and conbinations of the several devices and parts, as well as in the details of the construction of the same, all of which will be more jolly described in thoiollowing specification, and

vation of the same.

Fig. 3 is a detail longitudinal vertical section taken on line 3 3in said Fig. '2, looking in the direction of the arrow :0, showing the operative relation thereto of the -novel thread-guiding means of said need le-threading device, said view being drawn on a much larger scale.

Fig. 4c is a horizontal section, taken on line in said Fig. 1, looking downward, said view being also drawn on an enlarged. scale.

Fig. -5 is a horizontal section taken on line 5-5 in said Fig. 3, looking downward; and Fig, 6 is another horizontal section talzen on line 6-43 in said Fig. '3, also looking down-- ward.

Similar characters of reference are employed in all of the above described views,

to indicate corresponding parts.

Referring now to the said drawings, the reference-character 1 indicates the guidehousing of sewing-machine in which the vertically reciprocating needle-bar '2 mounted. Connected with the lower end of said needle-bar 2, by means of the winged nut -3, or in any other suitable manner, is the downwardly projecting sewing machine needle 4, provided with the sharp point-ed lower end 5, adjacent to which is the usual thread rece'i'ving eye 6.

The referencecharacter 7 indicates the usual vertically reciprocating fooebar, "to the lower end of which is secured the usual presser-foot 8, having the bifurcated end -9, through which the needle passes during the sewing operation. v

The reference-character 1O indieatestho usual b d or cloth-plate, upon which the material to be {sewn is sup orted beneath "the needle 4 presser-foot .8.

Connected with said needle-bar "2 is yokemomber 111 which embraces the same, and which is secured in a fired position thereon by means of a set-screw 1 19, or any other desirable aiorin of fastening means This yoke-member 11 is provided with outwardly projecting perforated ears or lugs 13 adapted to support a journal or hinge-pm 14 passed therethrough. Said journal or hingepin 14 serves as the fulcrum of a swinging arm 15, the upper end of which is journaled or pivoted thereon.

Said journal or hinge-pin 14 may be provided at one end with a head 16, and at its opposite end with a threaded shank-piece 17, upon which is arranged a tightening nut 18, which serves to draw together said ears or lugs 13 into the desired frictional relation to said arm 15, so that the friction established offers resistance to the too free swinging movement of said arm, and tends to retain said arm in any position to which it may be moved.

Said arm 15 swings from the pivotal con nection with the needle-bar in a plane at ri 'ht angles to the plane of the eye 6 of the needle 4. Connected with the lower free end of said arm 15 is a thread-guiding device, comprising a shell-like member 19 open at its outer end, and tapering toward its inner end, to provide an inwardly tapering threadguiding passage 20 terminating in a small, opening 21 at said inner end adapted to be registered with the eye 6 of the needle 4, when said arm 15 is swung downwardly to register or position said thread-guiding device in operative relation to said needle 4. The said wall of said shell-like member 19 is provided with a longitudinally extending narrow slot or opening 22 communicating with said small opening 21, the same serving as an exit-opening through which the body of the thread may be withdrawn from said thread-guiding passage 20 after the end of the thread has passed therethrough and through the eye 6 of the needle 4.

Secured to said arm 15, preferably above said thread-guiding device, is a'stop-lug 23, which projects rearwardly toward the needle 4, the same being provided at its outer end with a V-shaped notch 24, adapted to be moved against the needle 4, and to straddle the same, so as to hold the threadguiding device against lateral movement, and stopped in such a position that the small opening 21 thereof is properly registered or alined with the eye 6 of the needle 4.

Secured in fixed or rigid relation to said arm 15, so as to swing with the latter, is a downwardly and forwardly curved cam-arm 25, the same havin an oiisebportion or bend 26 adapted to laterally offset said camarm from the needle 4, so that it may readily pass the same. The lower end of said camarm terminates in a forwardly and downwardly inclined throw-up cam 27, the free end 28 of which is slightly extended beyond a vertical line extending through the pivotal point of said arm 15.

-When the novel needle-threading attachment is not in use, the same is swung up wardly on its pivotal connection with said needle-bar 2, and out of the way of the needle 4, the same occupying the position indicated by the dotted representation thereof shown in Fig. 1 of the accompanying drawings.

When it is desired to thread the needle 4, the needlebar 2 is raised to its upper limit of movement tolift the needle above the presser-foot 8, and thus properly position the same so that ready access to its eye 6 may be had. The arm 15 is now swung downwardly, this movement thereof carrying the sametoward the needle. The length of said arm 15 being properly determined, the downward swinging thereof carries said thread-guiding device toward the eye 6 of the needle, and when the arm 15 is stopped by the engagement of said'stop-lug 23 with the needle 4, the small opening 21 at the inner end of said thread-guiding device is stoppedin registration or alinemcnt with the eye 6 of the needle, and practically in communication therewith. hen the parts of the device are thus operatively positioned relative to the needle 4 and its eye 6, the end of the thread, which it is desired to pass through the eye of the needle, is introduced into the tapering passage 20, the converging walls of which guide the end of the threadto and through said small opening 21, and tl ence through the eye 6 of the needle which is alined in communication therewith. Consequently the thread is quickly and easily introduced through the eye of the needle, without necessity for straining the sight, or without necessity for any particular steadiness of hand. After the thread is thus passed through theneedle-eye, the body of the thread may be quickly liberated from the thread-guiding device by passing the same laterally to and through the longitudinal slot or opening 22 in the wall of said thread guiding device, whereupon the arm 15 may be swung up and back to normal initial or inoperative position, and out of the way.

If by any chance, the operator after using the thread-guiding device forgets to turn up and out of the way said arm 15, to remove the thread-guiding device from operative relation to the needle, and inadvertently starts up the sewing machine, the downward movement of the needle-bar 2 carries into contact with the cloth-plate or bed 10, the free end 28 of said throw-up arms 27, such contact causing the cam to slide outwardly, thus swinging away from the needle 4 the arm 15 and the thread-guiding device connected therewith, so as to leave the needle unobstructed, and free to pass through the goods to be sewn. It will thus be understood that not only is the needle freed from the obstruction of the associated threadguiding device, but the thread-guiding device is itself thus guarded against injury or breakage through violent contact with the cloth-plate or bed if the arm is moved end-down toward the latter.

It will thus be apparent that my present invention provides a very simple yet efficient needle-threading device, which can be permanently connected with the needle-bar 2, but which is so associated therewith as to be easily moved to and maintained in either operative or inoperative relation to the needle I am aware that some changes may be made in the several arrangements and combinations of the various devices and parts of my present invention, as well as in the details of the construction of the same without departing from the scope of said invention as defined in the claims appended hereto. Hence, I do not limit my invention to the exact arrangements and combinations of the various devices and parts as described in the foregoing specification, nor do I confine myself to the exact details of the construction of the said parts as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

I claim 1. In a device of the kind described, the combination with the needle-bar of a sewing machine, of an arm pivoted thereto, a thread-guiding device secured to the lower end of said arm and adapted to be alined with the eye of the sewing machine needle when said arm is swung downward, and a cam-means connected with the lower end of said arm adapted upon contact with the cloth-plate or bed of said sewing machine to swing said arm and its thread-guiding de vice away from the needle.

2. In a device of the kind described, the combination with the needle-bar of a sewin machine, of an arm pivoted thereto, athreadguiding device secured to the lower end of said arm, a stop-means having a needle-embracing device adapted to engage the sewing machine needle connected with said needle-bar when said arm is swung downward to aline said thread-guiding device with the eye of said needle, and a cammeans connected with the lower end of said arm adapted upon contact with the cloth-plate or bed of said sewing machine to swing said arm and its thread-guiding device away from the needle.

3. A needle-threading attachment for sewing machines, comprising an arm, means for pivotally connecting said arm with the needle-bar of the machine, a thread-guiding device connected with the lower end of said arm, comprising a shell-like member providing an inwardly converging thread-guiding passage terminating at its inner end in a small exit-opening adapted to be alined with the eye of the needle connected with said needle-bar, the wall of said shell-like memher having a longitudinally extending slotthroughout its length communicating latorally with said thread-guiding passage and said exit-opening, a stop-lug connected with said arm having a V-shaped end adapted to embrace the needle-shank when said arm is swung downward to stop said arm and to aline said exit-opening of said thread-guiding device with the eye of said needle, a throw-up cam connected with the lower end of said arm, the free end of which extends downwardly and forwardly beneath and beyond the lower end of said arm, and means for laterally off-setting said throw-up cam from said arm.

In testimony that I claim the invention set forth above I have hereunto set my hand this 5th day of February, 1917.

PAUL II. WERNER.

Witnesses:

FREDK FRAENTZEL, FREDK H. IV. FRAENTZEL.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

